In nearly all coverage of mobile and tablet usage, we’re constantly hearing mobile is growing; this is the year of mobile; mobile is here; and let’s face it, those headlines are getting repetitive and tiresome. We know mobile is here. We know usage is skyrocketing. So let’s dig deeper into a few key mobile questions marketers are asking and provide insight to help equip you for the next generation of mobile marketing.

Show Me the Numbers.

First, a reminder of the current and future mobile landscape. eMarketer estimates that there will be nearly 5 billion mobile phone users by 2018, with over 2.7 billion of those smartphone users — a number expected to grow by over 2.5 times since 2012.

This has directly affected the amount of time users spend on mobile devices versus desktops. According to comScore, mobile platforms accounted for 60% of total digital media time spent, up from 50% a year ago, whereas time spent on desktops has declined 20% year-over-year. This clearly calls marketers to shift processes to create not just a mobile strategy, but a mobile-first one.

Mobile platforms accounted for 60% of total digital media time spent, up from 50% a year ago.

How is Audience Behavior Shifting?

A key point to keep in mind is that not all organizations are the same, therefore mobile strategies should not be either. Consumers behave differently when researching and converting within different industries.

For example, Internet Retailer reported that in September 2014, 66% of time spent with online retail occurred on mobile devices. We saw similar trends in our 2014 Global Online Retail Seasonal Shopping Report, with mobile (phone + tablet) accounting for nearly 50% of all paid search clicks in the peak shopping season, driving 29% of total paid search revenue.

On the contrary, although expected to grow, only 10% of overall B2B online traffic comes from mobile devices. Marketers must understand where and when their buyers utilize mobile devices to research and buy and adjust their programs accordingly.

In addition, depending on your organization, your target audience may fall in differing age brackets. This is especially important to keep in mind as younger generations enter the professional world and become buyers. These buyers will possess drastically different buying habits than those of generations prior. In fact, young adults are starting to use mobile devices as their primary device to access the internet. According to Pew Internet, 50% of teen smartphone users and 45% of young adults aged 18-29 say they use internet mostly on their cell phone.

What Functionality is Gaining the Most Traction?

While mobile usage is becoming the norm for many consumers, new and innovative mobile technologies and functionalities are continually developed in this ever-changing ecosystem. As these technologies are introduced and consumers begin to adopt them, marketers must react and integrate them into their strategies if applicable to generate the highest level of engagement and interest.

Take mobile payments, for example. According to September 2014 estimates from eMarketer, the number of U.S. mobile payment users will increase 41.7% in 2015 to reach 22.6 million, comprising 12.7% of smartphone users. While mainstream acceptance of mobile payments has not yet occurred, keeping this trend in mind when developing mobile strategies is important for marketers, specifically within industries such as retail, quick service restaurants, and transportation services.

In addition, mobile apps have certainly gained mainstream acceptance among smartphone users, with an estimated 96% of smartphone users in the U.S. accessing apps by 2017. If driving traffic to a mobile app is a key business goal for your organization, incorporating app-install ads to your mobile paid search strategy is a must, along with tracking and optimizing in-app activities to grow lifetime value.

Staying abreast to these technologies and functionalities will ensure success via this channel.

Mobile marketing has opened the door for you to engage with your audiences on another level. Understanding your target audience, how they engage with mobile devices, and what new innovative technologies they are adopting and adjusting your marketing strategy accordingly will ensure unprecedented mobile success.

To learn more about how Kenshoo can help you achieve your mobile marketing goals, click here.